Vacuum cleaner filter assembly



Jan. 10, 1956 c. E. MEYERHOEFER VACUUM CLEANER FILTER ASSEMBLY Filed NOV. 27, 1953 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent VACUUM CLEANER FHLTER ASSEMBLY Carl E. Meyerhoefer, Brooklyn, N. Y., HSSlgBOI, by mesne assignments, to Lewyt Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y, a corporation of New York Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,777 6 Claims. (Cl. 183--51) i This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved filter assembly primarily intended for use in connection with vacuum cleaners and especially cleaners of the type disclosed in my prior applications for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 353,472, filed May 7, 1953, and Ser. No. 386,077, filed October 14, 1953; the present application being a continuation in part of these prior cases.

By means of the present teachings, a filter assembly is provided which will remain in association with a vacuum cleaning apparatus and against all probability of accidental displacement with respect to the same; the structure permitting of a ready detachment of the parts by deliberate manipulation thereof. When so dismounted, the elements of the filter assembly may easily be cleaned and renewed whenever necessary.

Moreover, it is an object of the invention to furnish a structure which will be properly supported by a vacuum cleaner assembly and remain in correct relative position with respect to that assembly despite heavy use of the cleaner, vibration and the flow of large volumes of air through the assembly.

Still another object is that of furnishing a structure which will include relatively few parts, each individually simple and rugged in construction, such parts being capable of production by quantity manufacturing methods and by relatively unskilled labor.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional side view taken through the upper portion of a vacuum cleaner and showing the filter assembly in association therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of certain details of the structure as generally illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the filter assembly with certain of its parts broken away to disclose underlying structures.

With primary reference to Fig. l, the numeral 5 indicates the cover of a vacuum cleaning apparatus which may be hingedly secured to the body or casing 6 of the same. Conveniently, the casing 6 has disposed within it a dust bag receiving trough 7. Gaskets 8 are preferably associated with both casing 6 and trough 7 adjacent their upper edges and with the lid in closed position provide seals which confine the air flow to predetermined and desired paths. As will be understood, a catch or latch structure is employed to secure the lid or cover 5 in casingsealing position. Neither this latch nor the hinge for mounting the cover upon the casing have been illustrated in that they form no part of the present invention.

The cover, according to the present teachings, will include a handle portion 9. This will permit of a firm supporting of the apparatus by the hand so that the assembly may readily be lifted and transported. In order to provide space adequate for the entry of the fingers and adjacent palm portion of the operators hand, the cover is formed with an inwardly dished or depressed part 10. As shown, the inner face of this part will extend substantially into the lower plane defined by the edges of the cover. Attention being particularly directed to Fig. 2, it will be noted that in accordance with the present teachings, that the cover edge is provided with a head which is conveniently formed by extending the cover material upon itself as indicated at 11.

Now referring to the details of the filter assembly, it will be noted that it includes a plate 12 formed with a series of perforations 13 which may be defined by angularly extending edge portions 14 of U-shape or other suitable configuration. So formed, these edges will provide for reinforcement of the plate and resist any distortions of the same. The plate may be formed of any suitable material but is preferably manufactured of lightgauge metal. it conforms in contour to the configuration of cover 5 and adjacent its side edges extends outwardly and preferably into a plane slightly above the body of the plate as indicated at 15. The underface of plate 12 has applied to it a filtering layer 16. This layer may be formed of any desirable and suitable air-porous material which will serve to filter out dust and other foreign material entrained in an air stream fiowing through that layer 16. Preferably, however, this layer is formed of cloth embodying the desired characteristics.

With a view to supporting the layer in the desired position with respect to plate 12, its edges pass around the edge portions 15 of that plate and thence inwardly to a point overlying the latter. At the latter point, a constrictin g action is exerted upon the filter layer edges. This action may be achieved by any desired structure which will serve to constrict the edges of the filter-layer. One preferred form of such structure involves the use of an elastic band 17. This band, in its untensioned condition, will define an area less than that to be defined by the inner edges of the filter layer, and may be secured to that layer as, for example, by stitching 18. It is apparent that if an elastic band or spring is employed, various other methods of securing it in the desired position might be resorted to.

A gasket 19 of rubber or similar material constitutes a framing member for plate 12 and layer 16. This is achieved by having the gasket formed with a groove in its inner edge which receives the edge portion or flange 15 of plate 12. So disposed, the layer 16 encircling that edge will be interposed between the plate and the gasket. This has been shown especially in Fig. 2. The gasket should, of course, embrace a length just adequate (or slightly less) than that defined by the edge zone 15 of plate 12. Therefore, it may even be in a slight condition of tension when it is mounted upon the filter assembly. Accordingly, it is apparent that an accidental detachment of the gasket from that assembly will be prevented.

The outer edge of gasket 19 provides a groove 20 suitable for the reception of bead 11 of cover 5. The upper or inner edge of this groove is defined by an angularly extending surface terminating in a projecting portion 21. The lower or outer side of the groove is defined by a gasket portion in the form of a projecting ridge 22. While not shown, the filter assembly may have associated with it any desirable extension or else may be constructed sothat an operator, by deliberately manipulating, or exerting a pull on the parts, will have no difliculty in effecting a detachment of that assembly from the cover.

As will be understood in the use of this apparatus, the layer of filtering material 16 is applied preferably to the lower face of sheet or disk 12. Its edge zone is passed around and over that disk. Thereupon, its edges are constricted in any desirable manner as, for example, by the use of elastic 17. Gasket 19 is now expanded so that the grooves in its inner edge receive the edge of the sheet or disk with the layer of filtering material carried thereby.

The entire assembly is now pressed upwardly or inwardly into the body of cover 5. So shifted, the upper angular surface will act as a guide to assure that the projecting portion 21 overrides bead 11 and latches to the rear of it as especially illustrated in Fig. 2. Too great an inward movement of the parts will be precluded by virtue of the stop portion of the gasket provided by projecting part 22. Accordingly, bead 11 will project into grooves 20. Thus it will be seen that the entire filter assembly will remain in association with the cover as the latter is raised and lowered. Also, in lowered position, gasket 19 and the parts of the assembly immediately adjacent the same, will cooperate with the sealing gasket 8 applied to the upper edge of dust receptacle '7 or its equivalent. Therefore a sealing contact will be established between the parts.

So disposed and with the motor blower unit of the vacuum cleaner operating, dust-laden air will enter trough 7. It will pass upwardly through the filter assembly into the space defined within the interior of cover 5. Therefore a filtering action will occur under which all foreign material carried by the air will be filtered out insofar as this is possible. The air will thereupon flow (as taught in my prior applications) downwardly through the space intervening casing 6 and trough 7. In such flow, it will again pass through the filter assembly at points adjacent the edges of the same and beyond the area defined by trough 7. Accordingly, during this reverse flow it will be subjected to a further filtering action to guard against any particles of dust or other material which have not heretofor been removed, from flowing into the spaces between the casing and trough body.

As will be appreciated, the air flow occurs with substantial velocity and the parts of the filter assembly will be subjected to considerable buffeting. Despite this, they will not be distorted or flexed out of their proper positions. This will be because of the support afforded adjacent the side edges of the assembly and particularly, due to the fact that the inwardly projecting portion 10 extends adjacent the assembly and may be engaged by the latter in order that it will be rigidified. As will moreover be appreciated, with the cover elevated an operator may readily cause a detachment of the filter assembly from that cover without damage to the parts. Thereupon, he may detach gasket 19 from the plate 12 and remove the filtering layer 16. The latter may be cleaned as may also the plate 12. Of course, if necessary, layer 16 may be renewed. In any event, by reversing the procedure, the assembly is again completed and may be associated with the cover so that the entire apparatus is ready for use.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted are achieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction and re-arrangements of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A vacuum cleaner filter assembly including in combination a cover, a perforated plate, a layer of flexible airporous material having its body in contact with one face of said plate and its edge zone overlapping the edge of that plate, a gasket member formed of resilient material and provided with a groove in its inner edge, said groove accommodating the edge Zones of said plate and material to maintain the latter in contact with said plate and against displacement with respect thereto, the outer edge of said gasket member providing a surface to detachably interlock with a surface of said cover by which said filter is to be mounted.

2. In a filter assembly as specified in claim 1, said plate including portions extending perpendicularly with respect to its body to rigidify the latter.

3. In a vacuum cleaner filter assembly as specified in claim 1, the interlocking surface of said gasket member being formed with a groove, an inclined surface to one side of said groove and a projecting stop portion to the other side of said groove.

4. In combination a vacuum cleaner including a body, a cover movably supported upon said body, an inwardly depressed part formed in said cover, a filter assembly comprising a perforated plate, a layer of filtering material carried by said plate, a gasket encircling said plate, cooperating surfaces forming parts of said cover and gasket to normally maintain said plate against displacement from said cover and the depressed part of said cover engaging said plate to support the latter against flexing.

5. In combination a cover for a vacuum cleaner assembly, an inwardly extending bead element defining a surface of said cover, a layer of filtering material, a resilient gasket element framing said layer and provided with a groove in its outer edge, said bead extending into said groove, the resiliency of said gasket element assuring the retention of said bead therein, and stop means to prevent said gasket from passing beyond a position in which its groove is aligned with said bead.

6. In the combination as specified in claim 5, said resilient gasket having an outwardly extending surface forming a part of said gasket to one side of said groove and a projecting part to the other side of said groove and constituting said stop means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 963,139 Griffiths July 5, 1910 996,691 Wallace et al -July 4, 1911 1,847,233 Bilde Mar. 1, 1932 2,112,213 Schwartz Mar. 22, 1938 2,467,503 Scriven Apr. 19, 1949 2,557,279 Greenberg June 19, 1951 2,576,310 Ruemelin Nov. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 592,015 Germany Jan. 31, 1934 

